5 Volt PS 23 Boards

Yep, I happen to have the PS32 boards with the 5V connectors in stock.

Thanks John. It's good to know someone has them.

Let me get more specific, it would be for a 20-3108-1 Shay. would there be any issues involved in installing the 32 board? There was a PS3 version of this engine made (although I can't find one) so on the MTH website there is the original PS2 file, a PS2 upgrade file, and a PS3 file. Which one would you use on a 32 board?

Ken

Well, the only issue is fitting it into the little Shay tender, but that's usually possible.  The PS32 board can use any 3V PS/2 sound file or the PS/3 sound files.  It is NOT compatible with the original 5V sound file.

Here's a bunch of PS/3 Shay's on the MTH site.

One last question - Do you need to load the chain files on the 32 board?

Ken

If you bought the upgrade kit, they should have the appropriate steam or diesel chain files loaded.  When we get the bare PS32 boards, they all come with diesel chain files, so for a steam application, I load the steam file.

If you have a locomotive with a small single resistor smoke unit, you MUST load the proper chain files or you'll burn up that smoke unit, the standard files are for the full sized smoke unit with two resistors.

Finally, the recently distributed PS32 chain files for the small smoke unit were bad, they actually had the file for the large smoke unit!

I've inserted the correct file for the small smoke unit into my copy and use it if I have a small smoke unit application, file attached.

PS32_Steam_SmO_3528-CPF - FIXED.zip

To be clear there are No more PS-2 3V or PS-2 3V with 5V connectors.  So PS-32 is the repair method as John stated.  PS-32 requires a 4 ohm speaker if going into a 5V engine which used 16 ohm speaker.   For PS-32 you only use the PS-32 type flash codes of which there are many depending on the repair.  Panto, coors, smoke unit size etc...   You CAN NOT use the PS-3 flash codes.   G

GGG,

So there are different flash codes for different engine types. However, if you are replacing a failed PS2 board with a 32 board and there is a PS3 zipped file for the same type engine being repaired on the MTH website, I would assume the chain codes in that zipped file would be OK. Is this correct?

Ken

That would be INCORRECT!

For the PS32 board, you must use the PS32 board specific chain files.  There are a number of them for various configurations of steam and diesel, subway, pantographs, small or large smoke, etc.

Can anyone download the ps32 specific chain files or are they only available to ASC techs?

I thought they were on the MTH website but tech could get them direct through MTH.  G

OK, if there are specific chain files for just PS32 boards, where do you find them?

Are they on the MTH website and how do you search for the correct chain file for the engine being repaired?

How do you tell one from another? Is there a way to interpret the file names? For example if a file name starts as p132... is there a meaning to this?

Ken

Well, most tech got them through the "back door" when MTH was active, but looking around the MTH site, I don't see a source for them now.

All of the sound files and chain files will be available, for everyone, VERY soon.

@H1000 posted:

Can anyone download the ps32 specific chain files or are they only available to ASC techs?

The PS32 steam chain files used to be available on MTH's site so you could download the correct file for a PS3 steam upgrade kit. The PS32 diesel file I had to email MTH to get.

I started this thread because I was considering buying a steam loco with a PS2, 5V board and expecting I would have to eventually replace the board. What I'm getting from all the responses is that if I needed to do a replacement I would have to ship it to an ASC to do the replacement mainly because right now the correct chain files are only available to ASC's.

The engine I'm considering is rare in the particular roadname but also the seller has overpriced it in my opinion. Adding the cost of an ASC to do the replacement is dropping my interest in getting the engine.

Ken

Actually, I normally load the sound and chain files for a customer if they need a PS32 board.  This also allows me to fully test the board so I don't get a "It didn't work" back.

@kanawha posted:

The engine I'm considering is rare in the particular roadname but also the seller has overpriced it in my opinion. Adding the cost of an ASC to do the replacement is dropping my interest in getting the engine.

Ken

Rare in the roadname but overpriced? Fair market value is what a willing buyer will pay a willing seller, neither being under a compulsion to buy or sell and both being aware of all relevant facts. So figure out if you really want it and do what you need to do.

BTW, I have a number of MTH engines with the 5 volt boards, and they've worked pretty well for a long time. I know the rap on them, but my experience is that if you take care of them, they work well.

Gerry

@gmorlitz posted:

BTW, I have a number of MTH engines with the 5 volt boards, and they've worked pretty well for a long time. I know the rap on them, but my experience is that if you take care of them, they work well.

If you've never had a 5V board failure, you are indeed lucky, time to buy a Lottery ticket!

I have some that have run a very long time and are still running.  However, I've had others that have croaked for no apparent reason.   Taking care of them isn't in the picture.  Other than insuring you have a good battery, exactly how to you "take care" of the board set?  It's well known and widely publicized that the 5V boards don't have the longevity of the 3V design.

I didn't say I never had a failure. You take care of them by either making sure you have a good battery (not my choice) or having a BCR. And if a BCR, you allow it the minute or so to charge before you run the engine. Simple, but I do consider that "taking care". I know the rap, and maybe I am just a bit lucky with the 5 volt boards. I have had two proto3 failures, which is way above my 5 volt experience as a percentage. But I don't see any reason to plan for failure and get the upgrade boards now. Hopefully, whoever takes over MTH parts will continue to provide boards.

Gerry

Well, I try to take care of all my stuff, electronics and mechanical maintenance that may be required.

I agree about the PS/3 boards FWIW, I rate then around the reliability of the 5V PS/2 boards.  In addition, very few parts on the PS/3 boards can be replaced, even the 5V PS/2 boards were more repairable.

With moving, I am so behind on maintenance it's pathetic. So John, now you've made me curious. How do you rate the PS-32 boards compared to the PS3 boards? Or are they basically the same with additional or different connectors?

Gerry

The PS32 boards are basically the diesel board with a top interface board.  One reason they're a bit more robust (or at least easier to repair) is they interface all the lighting through the stacker board to change from LED to 6V incandescent.  So, you can fix lighting failures due to shorted or pinched wires.  For the PS/3 diesel board, if there is a short in the lighting wiring, it takes out the output from the uP, and it's non-repairable.

If you go to the 50-1911 steam upgrade kit there is a link to get latest files.   When you click that link it has the form for the down load but the options are only 3 for the typical steam engines.  Would work for your steam, but not if someone was trying to replace a Diesel board or some other specialty train like coors or GG-1 etc...

I guess the philosophy was a repair was being done by a tech, not someone buying an upgrade kit to do the repair.  So the MTH tech had the files and knowledge about the various differences.  Plus before PS-3 there were no flash codes to load.  That was a factory/MTH service operation with special equipment.  G